Till The Next Hello, G, 197 words

Title: Till The Next HelloCharacters: One, BarbaraRating: GSummary: 'A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.' Richard Bach. Word count: 197Notes: This has been sitting on my hard drive for about five months and is finally being posted properly at the request of chicafrom3. So you know who to blame thank.

The last minute was a flurry of goodbyes.

Vicki hugged them both and ran from the room. The Doctor followed her.

Barbara looked after them. Ian was frowning in concentration, most probably rehearsing the Doctor’s instructions in his head, and didn’t seem to be paying her much attention.

“Doctor, wait.”

Halfway down the corridor, the Doctor turned. Barbara stood in the doorway.

Standing in front of him, she hesitated and fidgeted nervously with her hands. You do understand, don’t you? Of course he understood why they had to leave; why they needed a home. He had understood it when he saw it in his own granddaughter.

“Perhaps, if you ever manage to land in our time, you could come and see us sometime?”

“Perhaps I could.” He smiled and laid his hand over hers, stilling their movement.

Perhaps he was falling into the human habit of making promises too easily. Perhaps he really meant it.

You know I love it. ♥♥&hearts It's such a brilliant, clear insight into a major part of what happened to turn the Doctor from the crotchey condescending xenophobic boy of An Unearthly Child to the enthusiastic all-too-human-himself Doctor he very quickly became.

Perhaps he was falling into the human habit of making promises too easily. Perhaps he really meant it.

Oh, very nice!

I also liked the closing line—it really must have been the end of something for the Doctor when the last of the very first batch of companions left, but I'd never really thought about it as much as it deserves. Lovely, poignant, unsappy piece.